Ignition booster system



March 30, 1937. v u N I 2,075,431

IGNITION BOOSTER SYSTEM Filed Feb. '7, 1935' .9 e? mlq g /[46 "f 6 L o o W l M? 44?) M W'W Patented Mar. 30, 1937 PATENT OFFICE IGNITION BOOSTER SYSTEM Floyd M. llu Laney, (7111088 Application February 6 Claims.

This invention relates to ignition booster systems, and more particularly is directed to such systems embodied in the ignition circuits of internal combustion engines, used in automobiles, airplanes and the like.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, I provide a booster system automatically controlled by turning of the ignition switch for either connecting an additional auxiliary battery into the ignition system to produce an increased voltage across the induction coil, or connecting the battery to a low voltage tap on the induction .coilywhereby the voltage across the coil is increased. This increase of voltage produces a hotter spark due to the increased current, and

; purpose.

thereby assists materially in the starting of the engine.

It is well known that the car starter of an ordinary automobile produces a considerable voltage drop across the primary of the induction coil,

especially if the car motor is cold and stiff, as in cold weather. This starter voltage thereby puts an increased load on the car battery proportional to the energy required by the starter motor, which correspondingly decreases the voltage available for the induction coil, resulting in a proportionately weaker spark. It is to compensate for this condition that the present system has been developed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a booster system operated directly by the ignition switch, whereby the increased voltage of the system can be availed of when cranking the engine by hand. This is a distinct advantage possessed by the present system over previously known types of booster systems, in which the booster was only cut in upon energization of a starting motor or the like. j

An additional advantage attained by the pres- ,ent invention is the provision of means for auto-' matically cutting out either the auxiliary battery or the low voltage tap of the induction coil as the engine starts and becomes self-operative, whereby no switching means or the like isrequired for this Thus no additional control or switching mechanism is required to insure operation of the booster system during starting of the engine, the system being automatically cut in by closing of the ignition switch and being automatically cut out when the engine becomes self-operative.- The human element of control is thus substantially, eliminated.

Another advantage of the present invention is its applicability to ignition systems now in use,

' it being adapted for ready connection thereto.

7, 1935, Serial No. 5,395

Also, its low initial cost and installation expense, with practically no up-keep expense, renders its use universally available to all car owners.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention'will appear more fully from the following detailed description which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, will disclose to those skilled in the art the particular construction and operation of apreferred form 01' the present invention.

In,the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic circuit illustrating the use of an auxiliary battery in an ignition booster circuit; and

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic circuit illustrating a modified type of ignition booster circuit.

Referring now in detail to Figure 1, I have provided the ordinary type of storage battery 5, having one terminal grounded, as at 6, and its other terminal leading to a switch contact I through the conductor 8. The switch contact I forms one contact of an ignition switch indicated generally at 9, the other contact 10 thereof being connected through conductor I2 toan ammeter l3. It is of course apparent that the ignition switch 9 might be incorporated directly within the ammeter, if desired.

From the ammeter IS, a conductor I4 is extended to the positive terminal of a dry cell or similar auxiliary battery l5, while a second conductor l 6 is extended to a generator cut-out relay l1 connected through conductor l8 to the generator G, the opposite terminal of the generator being connected to ground in the usual manner.

From the positive terminal of the auxiliary battery IS a conductor I9 is extended to a relay contact 20, while from the negative terminal of the battery 15 a conductor '22 is extended to a second relay contact 23. It is to be understood that the circuit is adapted for use with either a positive or negative to ground ignition system, and the particular terminal connections of the two batteries may be correspondingly reversed.

From the conductor iii, a conductor 24 is extended to an energizing coil25 of a relay 2B, and from the opposite end of the coil 25 a conductor 21 leads to. ground. The relay 26 is adapted to energize an armature 28, which is normally held in closed position against contact 23 by means of a spring 29. The armature 28 is connected through conductor 30 to the induction coil 32, which may be any standard type of induction coil. and from the induction coil conductors 33 and 34 lead to the ordinary type of breaker and distributor generally shown at 35.

In the operation of the circuit shown in Figure 1, when it is desired to start the engine, which has its spark plugs or the like connected to the distributor 35, the ignition switch 9 is closed,

completing a circuit from the battery through contacts I and I8 and ammeter l3 to the conductors I8 and I6. A circuit from the conductor l4 extends through the auxiliary battery l5 and conductor 22 to contact 23, which is normaln ly engaged by the armature 28. This completes a circuit from battery 5 through the ignition switch 9, auxiliary battery l5 and armature 28 to the induction coil 32, the batteries 5 and I! being thus placed in series whereby additional voltage is provided to compensate for the voltage drop occasioned by the use of a starter motor or the like, which would ordinarily produce a corresponding voltage drop across the induction coil 32. By the provision of the present invention,

however, the auxiliary battery It compensates for this voltage drop, and provides a suiilcient voltage, together with the battery 5, across the induction coil 32 to provide a hot spark at the spark plug contacts.

During starting of the motor, the combined voltage of the battery 5 and battery 15 is thus impressed across the induction coil. As the engine starts and becomes self-operative, the generator G is energized, producing a flow of current through conductors l8 and 24 to coil 28 of the relay 28. This produces energization of the relay 28, which in turn attracts the armature 28 into engagement with the contact 28 and out of engagement with contact 23. At the sametime, the generator relay cut-out l1 operates to cut in the conductor IS with the conductor l8, whereby current is fed from the generator G to the battery 5 through the ammeter l3 and the ignition switch 9, in the usual manner.

It is thus apparent that the batteries 8 and I5 will be connected in series upon initial closing of the switch 8, whereby the armature 28, in engagement with contact 23, will provide for impressing the combined voltages of these batteries across the induction coil 32, compensating for the voltage drop occasioned by the use of a starter motor or the like, so that a sufllcient spark is produced by the induction coil enabling the motor or engine to be readily started. As the motor or engine becomes self-operative, the generator G energizes the relay to cut out the battery it from the circuit, by moving armature 28 into engagement with contact 20 and out of engagement with contact 23; Thus, the auxiliary battery I5 is automatically cut into the ignition circuit when the ignition switch 8 is closed, and is automatically cut out of this circuit as soon as the engine becomes self-operative. These operations are eflfected with no manual control or supervision by the operator of the engine, and consequently the human element is substantially eliminated from the control over this type of booster system, and the booster system is selfactuating and self-controlled throughout the operation of the ignition system.

Referring now to the circuit shown in Figure 2, I have provided a. somewhat similar system, in which the auxiliary battery l5 has been eliminat'ed, and a low voltage tap has been added to the induction coil. Corresponding parts of the circuit shown in Figure2 will be identified by the numerals corresponding to the same parts as described in connection with Figure 1.

The conductor l4 leading from the ammeter I3 in this embodimentfoi the invention s connected to the armature 28' of the relay 28,- which armature is normally held away from the relay 28 by means of the spring member 28. Thearmature 28' is thus normally held in contact with the contact point 38, which is connected through conductor 31 to a low voltage tap 38 of the induction coil 32. The standard voltage tap of this induction coil is connected through conductor 39 to the contact 80. The primary coil and secondary coils of the induction coil 32 are connected, at their opposite ends to the conductor 62 leading to the circuit breaker 35, the secondary coil of the induction coil 32 at its opposite end being connected through conductor 83 to the circuit breaker and distributor-in the usual manner.

In the operation of the circuit shown in Figure 2, when the ignition switch 8 is closed, the current from battery 5 is conducted through conductors 8 and I2 to the ammeter l3, and from the ammeter l3 through conductor 54 and armature 28' to contact 36. The battery current is thus led through conductor 31 to the low voltage tap 38 of the induction coil 32, and since the resistance of the primary coil of the induction coil 32 is thereby decreased, the current is increased, and thus a higher current is transmitted to the secondary of the induction coil 32, which current is transmitted through conductors E2 and 43 to the distributor 35, producing a hotter spark at the plugs of the engine. It is therefore apparent that by providing the low. voltage tap 38, the voltage across the induction coil 32 is increased to compensate for a voltage drop caused by the starter motor or the like, and consequently the spark produced at the spark plugs of the engine by means of the breaker and distributor 35 is increased over the spark that would normally be obtainable without such a low voltage tap. As the engine becomes self-operative, the generator G is adapted to energize the coil 25 of the relay 28 through the conductors l8 and 24, and consequently draws the armature 28' into contact with the contact 40. At this time the generator cut-out relay ll closes, and the generator therefore supplies current through the conductors I8 and IE to the conductor l4, thereby energizing the induction coil 32 in the usual manner.

It is thus believed obvious, in the circuit shown in Figure 2, that a hotter spark canbe produced by means of the booster circuit including the relay 28 and armature 28', whereby a low voltage tap is cut into the induction coil 32 upon initial closing of the ignition switch 9, and this low voltage tap is cut out and the standard voltage tap cut in when the engine becomes selfoperative, without any further control being neces'sarily exercised by the operator of the vehicle.

It is also to be pointed out that by the provision of an 'ignition booster circuit controlled merely .by closing of the ignition switch, it is possible to cut in, for example, in Figure 1, the auxiliary battery I 8 when it is desired to crank the engine by hand, this battery being capable of employing its voltage to supplement the voltage of the battery 5 through the induction coil while the car is being cranked by hand with the ignition switch on, the battery Ii being automatically cut out of the circuit when the engine becomes self-operative.

The same is true in connection with the circult shown in Figure 2, in which the low voltage tap 38 is automatically cut in when the ignition switch 8 is closed, so that upon cranking or the car manually after the ignition switch has been closed, the low voltage tap will be cut in to provide a hotter spark at the engine. As the engine becomes self-operative, it is apparent that the standard voltage tap will be cut in and the low voltage tap cut out by the self-operation of the engine.

It is therefore believed that the present invention provides a novel type of ignition booster system capable of automatic operation under the control of the ignition switch, substantially eliminating the human element in the cutting in or cutting out of such a booster circuit, and in addition providing a booster circuit capable of use when the engine is being manually cranked.

This particular type of booster circuit is adapted to compensate for the voltage drop produced across the induction coil by the use of a starting motor or the like, whereby a hotter spark may be obtained than normally is obtainable during the cranking of an engine, either automatically or manually. This assists instarting of the engine during cold weather, when the motor may be cold and stiff, and the voltage drop across the starter motor is proportionally greater.

If the induction coil of Figure 2 comprises a primary coil in series with a resistance, as

known in practice, I may provide for boosting the starting ignition circuit by providing a tap at the junction of the resistance and induction, whereby a relatively high initial current is provided, which tap. may be cut out when the engine becomes self-operative, the resistance then being cut in to reduce the current across the primary under normal running conditions.

I do not intend, however, to limit myself to the exact circuit connections which have been shown and described, but only in so far as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. An ignition booster system for an internal combustion engine comprising an induction coil, a battery, an ignition switch between said battery and said coil, an auxiliary battery between said switch and said coil and normally connected in series with said first battery upon closing of said switch, a generator, a relay energized by said generator upon self-operation of said engine, and means responsive to said relayfor disconnecting said auxiliary battery from said coil.

2. An ignition booster system 'for an internal combustion engine comprising a battery, an induction coil, an ignition switch between said coil and said battery, an auxiliary battery, an armature normally maintained in position for connecting said batteries in series to said coil, 9. re-

lay, and means responsive to self-operation of said engine for energizing said relay to move said armature into position for disconnecting said auxiliary battery from said coil.

3. The combination with an ignition booster system for an internal combustion engine, of means in said system' normally operable upon closing of an ignition switch for increasing the current produced by the secondary of an induction coil, said. means including an auxiliary source of current supply, and electromagnetic means responsive to self-operation of said engine for disconnecting said auxiliary current supply source.

4. An ignition booster system for an internal combustion engine comprising an induction coil,-

connections controlled by said armature engage-' ment with said contacts, whereby a greater current is supplied to said coil from said current supply means when said armature is in engagement with said back contact than when said armature is in engagement with said front contact.

5. An ignition booster system for an internal combustion engine comprising an induction coil with a primary coil circuit having a normal operating circuit connection including all the resistance of the primary coil circuit and a low r'esistance path including only a portion of the said coil circuit, a relay having a magnet, an armature and a backcontact connected to said path and a front contact connected to said normal circuit connection, a battery connection controlled by said armature for closing .the battery circuit with either the front or the back contact, and an engine driven generator, said magnet having a winding connected to said generator whereby the armature is attracted .to shift the battery connection upon predetermined engine-driven operation of the generator.

6. An ignition booster system for an internal combustion engine comprising an induction coil with a primary coil circuit having a normal operating circuit connection including all the resistance of the primary ,coil circuit and a low resistance path including only a portion of the said coil circuit, a relay having a magnet; an armature and a back contact connected to'said 'path and a front contact connected-to said normal circuit connection, said armature normally being urged into engagement with said back contact, a: battery connection controlled by said armature for closing the battery circuit with said back contact, and an engine driven generator, said magnet having a winding connected to said generator whereby thearmature is attracted to shift the battery connection to said front contact upon starting of engine drive of the generator.

. FLOYD M. DU LANEY. 

